Coming Home
by M J Azilem
Summary: Chapter 9 UP This is AU everyone is human. inspired by crazy basement spike. Find out what happens when Special Agent William Giles goes MIA and what happens when he's brought home! WIP
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.  
  
Part 1: phone calls  
  
Buffy sat at the dining room table with her friends Willow and Xander and her sister Dawn. They ate and laughed. Buffy was content things hadn't been this good in a long time. Ever sense her husband William Giles went missing in action a year and a half ago things had been hard.  
  
Everyone had tried to be optimistic Spike was a fighter he could take care of himself he wouldn't just leave her alone; no. Buffy knew that Spike would never willing leave her, something had happen to him. She had been optimistic for a while too but it had now been seventeen months sense he disappeared and Buffy's hope was dieing. She knew her beloved husband of just three years (one and a half years if you discount how long he'd been missing) would not be returning. "Hey Buffy wake up.what you thinking about?" Willow shook Buffy who had zoned out as they were all discussing the new Colin Feral movie. "Nothing just.nothing." "Oh well don't think to hard we don't want you hurting yourself." Dawn tried to be funny but no one else laughed. Then the phone rang. "I'll get it." Buffy started to get up. "Let the machine get it Buffy." Willow suggested. "No I'll get it." And Buffy went into the kitchen to answer it.  
  
"Is she ever going to be ok?" Dawn whispered to the other two. "Give her some more time Dawnie. I think it's really starting to sink in that he.he really isn't coming home." Sad looks were shared between the three they missed their friend and they missed happybuffy. "I think we just need to be supportive she'll get better with time it's only been a little over a ye-" Xander stopped short when Buffy came running back into the Dinning. She stopped and looked at her friends and Dawn "they, they found him." then her eyes rolled back and she fainted dead on the floor. "Buffy!"  
  
"Buffy?" Dawn said softly as her sister started to come around. "Guys she's awake" Willow and Xander came into the living room. "How you feeling Buffy?" Dawn held her hand. "What happened?" Buffy asked. Xander felt his heart in his throat "Well you went and answered the phone and they came running back into the dinning room saying "they found him" then pasted out."  
  
Willow eased herself down on the couch next to Buffy "who did they find Buffy?" "They found him." Buffy looked at her friends blank faces. "They found Spike" all in the room gasp when heard; letting go the breath they didn't know they were holding. Then Xander asked the question on ever one's mind "Buffy is he alive?" Buffy choked back a sob "yes" Dawn squealed and grabbed her sister into a big hug. Buffy just sat there in shock. "Did they say where he's been?" Willow took Buffy's hand.  
  
"Spike. He was being held prisoner by a group of terrorists for the last year and a half. They were.they tortured him." Xander looked sick "oh God." Buffy continued "the man on the phone Agent Finn said that Spike would be at Los Angles memorial hospital the day after tomorrow. Agent Finn also said that he's not well; that they" Buffy sobbed "broke him" Willow squeezed her hand and all eye's in the room teared. "He's coming home. My God I've been dreaming of this for so long." Tears streamed down Buffy's face "I'm so scared. Willow I'm so scared." With that Buffy through herself at Willow's shoulder and sobbed uncontrollable. Willow just rubbed her back "it's going to be ok everything will be ok he's coming home and he's going to be fine you'll see everything will work out."  
  
.  
  
Buffy's sleep had been filed with dreams some of her and Spike's happy tearful reunion with kissing and hugging and running towards each other with open arms out stretched. The more prevalent ones though were of a Spike that wasn't Spike he was scary and twisted and he frightened her.  
  
Right now Buffy was sitting in the Kitchen waiting for Dawn to get up and her friends to come over. She needed to pack a suit case she didn't know what would happen when they got to LA tomorrow it was best to be prepared. She'd even realized that she should pack a bag for Spike. That felt so strange; she hadn't moved any of his things all his clothes still hung in their closet and all his toiletries were still in their Bathroom.  
  
Of course first things first she had to get in touch with Spike's family and tell them that he'd been found. Buffy had always likes Spike's dad Rupert Giles even though he was a little eccentric, He and Buffy had kept in touch even when Spike didn't and his older brother Angle was a nice guy too.  
  
Sadly the Giles weren't very close. After Spike's mother had died seven years ago Spike and his Father had a falling out. Mr. Giles had always been disappointed with the fact that Spike had gone into the military; the American Military after high school instead of going back to England to his father old University.  
  
William had been raised in England but his mother was American so he had dull citizenship. The Giles moved to California William's freshman year of high school. Anyway the Giles hadn't talked much sense Buffy had known them. She had met Rupert and Angle after she and Spike had gotten engaged he wanted her to know what she was marrying into. Mr. Giles was very much a Hippie and Angle kind of quiet. Nothing like wild, spontaneous, expressive, brave, handsome, dashing, loving, her husband Spike. She had to call them, had to tell them.  
  
Buffy decided she would just do it on the count of three 1.2. "What ya doing Buffy?"  
  
Dawn had come in and Buffy had been so deep in memories and anxiety that she didn't even hear her. "Aggg you scared me" Buffy's heart was racing and she had dropped the phone. "So what are you doing?" Dawn put some bread in the toaster. "I'm trying to make a phone call." Buffy stared at the phone in her hand like it was an alien object. "Really to who?" "Mr. Giles." "OH! I can leave you alone if you want." "No I'll take the phone in the living room."  
  
Buffy sat down on the couch and dialed the number the phone rang four times and Buffy was about to hang up when some one picked up. "Hello Rupert Giles Speaking." "Hi Giles it's Buffy."  
  
"OH Buffy how nice to hear from you. How have you been I haven't heard from you in a good month."  
  
"I'm Fine Mr. Giles. I've got some news."  
  
"News? What kind of news?"  
  
"It's William" she couldn't hear it but she knew he was holding his breath. "They've found him he's alive."  
  
"Oh my. OH my." She knew that he had now sit down and trying to polish his glasses while holding the phone. "They found him.is he ok.is he home?"  
  
"they found him I don't think he's fine they told me that he was being held prisoner by a group of terrorists they told me he's not .umm well." There was silence on the other end of the line "Mr. Giles?"  
  
"Umm yes I'm still here."  
  
"They told me he's going to be at LA memorial hospital tomorrow. Mr. Giles I don't know what your feelings are towards your son I don't fully understand what the problem was but please come.I think he's going to need you. I think I'm going to need you. I'm scared, scared he's not going to be my William."  
  
"Buffy I'll be there He's my son and he's.he's alive. Nothing could keep me away certainly not some foolish quarreling long past. Whatever William is going through we'll get through together the three of us."  
  
"Thank you. So I guess we should meet there. I think that will be for the best. When do you think you can be there?"  
  
"I'll get in touch with Angel and we'll leave straight away we should be in LA by noon tomorrow."  
  
"OK good so I'll see you there." "Yes" "OK then" "Alright good bye. and Buffy." "Yes?" "Everything is going to be alright.he's alive." With that they both hung up. Buffy wish that the clock would both speed up and just stop all together. "Please God let him be ok."  
  
She didn't think she'd sleep at all that night. She'd tried to keep busy during the day and tried to keep calm. Her emotions were going wacky. She had lived in fear for so long that one day she would wake up and they would tell her he was really dead. Lived with the fear that he would never come home. Now he was he was coming home. She was feeling relief, excitement, and a happiness she hadn't felt sense she found out he was missing. But she was in a constant battle to keep the other emotions she was feeling hidden. The fear and anxiety of not knowing what was going to be waiting for her at the hospital.  
  
She had always known his job was dangerous that was one of the things that attracted her to him in the first place. A creature of the night with his motorcycle, black leather, and bad boy attitude and then she found out he was a special agent for the US government. She had fallen in love with him first glance and so had he. After they were married she had asked him to quit; knowing full well that he couldn't not just because of his contract with the government but because the work was him. To ask him to change would have been like putting a wild animal in a cage. And caging the man would have been no way to start their life together. Of course now she wished she had locked him in their basement and thrown away the key so no one would have gone through the pain everyone had been through in the past year.  
  
And now she was there. Willow and Xander and Dawn stood with her out side of the hospital waiting for the Giles in was now eleven forty five. Time seemed to be crawling and flying as Buffy's conflicting emotions struggled for dominance. She bounced on the balls of her feet unable to stay still. The other's milled around in similar states of excitement and dread. When Mr. Giles and his eldest son rounded the far corner Buffy jumped and ran to hug them. After tearful hellos and smiling frowns they worked up the courage to enter the hospital probably the most feared and loathed of all mans institutions.  
  
Surprisingly Agent Finn was at the entrance to meet them. "Mrs. Elizabeth Giles?" "Yes" "I'm Agent Finn. We've been waiting for you." "I'm sorry I was waiting for my father in law to get here and he had to come a long way oh and this is my father in law my husband's father." "Yes that's quite alright you don't need to apologize we understand. If the family members would come with me the doctor is waiting." So Buffy, Giles, and Angle left with Agent Finn to go meet with the doctor leaving Xander, Willow and Dawn in the waiting room.  
  
The Doctor greeted his new patient's family "Good day I am Dr. Wyndem Price." "Doctor this Mrs. Elizabeth Giles; Special Agent William Giles's wife; Mr. Rupert Giles his father and Mr. Angelus Giles his older brother." Agent Finn introduced. The doctor shook hands and asked that they all had a seat. They did with the exception of Agent Finn who stood next to the doctor's desk. "I've asked to meet with you in order to discuss William's condition." Mr. Giles took Buffy's hand "how is he Doctor?" the doctor looked at the three family members.  
  
"Physically he's exhausted, dehydrated, and mal nourished. He's body has multiple lacerations, welts, and x-rays have shown that his right leg was broken in multiple places and has not been allowed to heal properly. But we can fix all that with time. What worries me the most is William's mental state. Something he saw or something that happen back in that prison had a dramatic effect on him. So much so that he has entered a Fugue state." "What does that mean Doctor will he be alright?"  
  
"A fugue state means that he's shut himself off from the world it's like being in a waking coma. He appears to be awake he may or may not be able to hear or see anything. But he doesn't respond to anything his mind is in another place."  
  
"Will he come out of it?"  
  
"That's all up to William. He could wake up any time on his own but it could take days or years. I think that the presence of family and friends will help bring him around faster. Of course if and when he does wake up he will have other issues to address. He's been under more stress then most people can imagine.  
  
He most likely wouldn't be the William you remember nor can you blame him for that. He will probably be suffering from serve Post Stress disorder like many soldiers in his situation. Just remember that no matter how bad things look or get he is your William and he is alive and with time and patience he can be the man you knew again." Every one was looking a little teary eyed now; Buffy was ringing a tissue trying to hold back the flood. "Can we see him?"  
  
"Yes you may see him. Some things I want you to know before you go in though. When you see him he will look very thin. We have cleaned him up cut his hair and shaved his face. You will see tubes in his arms those are just IVs. There will be a tube up his nose that's the feeding tube. Thankfully he is breathing on his own so we don't have to worry about giving him oxygen or putting him on a respirator. When you go in his eyes will be opened and staring that is the way he's been since he was found, don't let that alarm you. When you go in I would ask that you keep from any strong emotions like distress or sadness they could disturb William. Try to keep your feelings neutral or happy. Don't be afraid to touch him contact is good make him feel you there. Hold his hands touch his face. Alright I think that's everything for now. Let walk you down to his room."  
  
Following the Doctor and Agent Finn; Giles held Buffy close. "Are you ready for this my dear?" "Ready as I'll ever be." They stopped out side a door.the door "this is it. Would the three of you follow me inside." Buffy, Giles, and Angel walked into the room after the doctor who went straight to the bed side. The others hung back almost afraid to look at the bed. Giles stepped forward and they all move toward the bed together.  
  
"William" Buffy said softly letting her fingers brush his Hand.  
  
"My God." Was all Giles could get out.  
  
"It's him guys it's really him I thought maybe it was a dream or they had the wrong guy but it's him." "I can't believe it. My Brother! some one must have be looking out for him. Kid always makes everything by the skin of his teeth." "Angel would you go tell the others in the waiting room the news?" "Yeah.I'll go." Angel hesitated for a second giving his family one more glance before leaving the room and going to tell the others.  
  
Willow and Dawn sat playing rock paper scissors while Xander paced. They all stop and stood up when they saw Angel coming down the hall.  
  
"So?" Xander asked him  
  
"It's him!" Dawn squealed and hugged everyone as she jumped up and down. She had always had a great love and special friendship with her Brother in law.  
  
"How is he?" Willow asked.  
  
"Well it's not good he's hurt, he looks like a famine victim and he's not awake. The doctor says he's worked himself into some kind of waking coma to escape what was going on around him. It's really kind of creepy his eyes are open and staring but he's not seeing or responding to anything. The doctor says he'll come out of it and that everyone can help by talking to him touching him letting him know that you're there." "My goddess" "can we see him?" Dawn was not phased by Angel's account; if her friend was in this hospital in a coma or not she see was going to see him. They all walked back down the hall way to Spike's room. The doctor had come out of the room and was checking charts in the hall way. He saw the others coming "you must be Agent Giles's friends; you can go in but don't stay long. I assume you've been informed of William's condition." "Yes Doctor." They walked into the room.  
All eyes were teary. Buffy sat in a chair next to the bed holding Spike's hand. Giles stood at the foot of the bed. They all crowded around "It really is him." "Oh Buffy." Willow hugged Buffy and Dawn help her other hand. "Did they say what happened to him while he was a prisoner?" "He was tortured. But that is all that is being disclosed at this moment." Agent Finn entered. And stood looking at Agent Giles's family and thinking that things just got a lot more complicated. He would have to call Agent Forrest, things were going to have to be taken care of. 


	2. Gertrude's line

If I forgot to mention it before I don't own any of these characters  
  
Last chapter Spike was fond alive and brought back from God knows where. Back to his loving family and others... possible friends or maybe enemies. I'm not a military or medical person so if I offend or confuse anyone I'm sorry. Let me know if there is a glaring error.  
  
Thanks for the reviews mimfoxlove and buffsterangelicxws!  
  
Part 2... Gertrude's Line  
  
Buffy had stayed with him in the hospital for four days now. The others were in and out as were doctors and nurses and military people. Buffy was a constant watchful eye, she doubted she would ever let him out of her sight again.  
  
There had been no change in him. That infuriated her. He was a man of action not a vegetable, hiding from the world. Buffy wanted to scream at him to come out of it. If she thought that it would have helped she might have tried it. She'd tried nearly everything else she could think of. She had played his favorite CDs the Smiths and the Ramones. She talked about their friends and family and especially Dawn.  
  
It was when Buffy had introduced Spike to Dawn that she knew he was the man she was going to marry. He had a way with Dawn, they loved each other. It was that relationship that convinced Buffy that her wild man would be a good father and family man. He was so loving, a big child himself, and then miraculously he knew when to draw the line and become the adult. He was wonderful and he needed to wake up so they could be a family again. Buffy continued to tell him how much she loved him and had how she knew he would come home to her. His glassy blue eyes continuing to stare, Buffy remembered a Shakespeare class she had taken and thought how much she felt like Gertrude...what was her line when Hamlet was seeing the ghost? Spike would have known. Something like... "how is it with you, that you do bend your eye on vacancy?"  
  
Buffy had been lost in her musing sitting next to his bed with her head down next to his on the pillow her hand stroking his. Then there was a sharp inhale. Buffy jumped up unsure of where the breath had come from and then she found his eyes that were looking at her.  
  
Her breath caught "Spike?"  
  
He turned his head slowly to her. Buffy moved closer and went to touch him, but he flinched back. Tears welled up in Buffy's eyes  
  
"Oh William." Buffy and Spike were frozen, Buffy in helplessness and Spike in what appeared to be fear.  
  
Within minuets a passing nurse had a brigade of nurses and doctors ascend on now awake Special Agent Giles. Buffy was pushed away from her husband's bedside as the Doctors turned into probing demons and the nurses into big hipped battleaxes. Standing off to the side Buffy knew that no good could come of this. The only thing William need, more than doctors and medicine was to be in her arms. Buffy was now crying as she watched an emaciated Spike panic in the tangle of arms and stethoscopes.  
  
Just as Dr. Wyndem Price appeared the spark in Spike disappeared and he shrunk back into his previous state. The Doctor was practically seething. "What is going on here?" the nurses looking now very timid went on to explain how the patient had been awake and how they had gotten the other doctors to come check him.  
  
"We will discuss this in more detail later, and my putting all of you on review. Now get out." The other doctors and nurses made their way out of the room, with glares and murmuring. Left with the comatose patient was Dr. Wyndem Price and Buffy now standing at the bedside. "He was awake...he looked at me." Buffy stroked his face and buzzed hair. "Did he try to say anything?" "No he just looked scared."  
  
That night Buffy, Giles, Dawn, Angel, Willow, and Xander all stayed at the hospital with hopes of a repeat awakening. They got what they wished for... 


	3. Wish Come True

Thanks for Reading and Reviewing. It makes me very happy.  
  
Part 3...Wish Come True  
  
Spike woke up. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. He became aware of things sticking in him and tubes coming out of him. Spike panicked. Pulling at the tubes and wires, the one up his nose came out easily but the one sticking in his arm hurt to pull on and pulling it out caused him to bleed. The fit of panic drained his weak body and he lay still on the bed for a minuet; eyes closed just breathing.  
  
He knew he should be still, if he was still he wouldn't draw attention to himself and that meant less pain. He opened his eyes again and looked around. Where was he, this wasn't the small dark room he'd been held in for the past God knows how many years. Had he been moved?  
  
This place looked like something medical, a hospital? Immediately millions of horrible thoughts ran through his head, all the horrible things they could do to him, all the horrible things he'd seen them do to others. He unconsciously started to whimper. He tried to pull his knees to his chest and found that it hurt to move, causing him again to panic. He relaxed a little when he realized everything was where it should be he was in one piece, for now. He didn't know what time it was and he didn't know when his captors would be back. He decided he would just be still maybe they would forget about him.  
  
Spike's struggling had caused an alarm to go off at the nurse's station; they had alerted Dr. Wyndem Price. The doctor and nurse the came in and Special agent Giles looked the same, except his IV and other tubes had been pulled out. Dr. Wyndem Price approached the bed calmly. "William?" Once closer the doctor could tell the man was conscious. Something in his eyes gave him away; there wasn't the emotional vacancy there had been before, but fear. "William it's alright you don't have to be afraid were here to help you.  
  
Spike heard the words that the doctor said but his broken mind couldn't process them.  
  
Buffy woke up and saw that the doctor and a nurse were in the room. Buffy jumped up "Is something wrong?" She startled the nurse and woke up Rupert who was asleep in the other chair. "What's going on?" Dr. Wyndem Price didn't take his eyes off William "His condition has changed, I believe he's awake." They all moved closer to the bed and that's when they heard it; Spike squeaked. It was a small noise of fear and it made them all stop. "I think we're getting to close and that's making him uncomfortable." Buffy and Giles nodded and stepped back a little. "William you're safe here, I'm Dr. Price and this is Nurse Walsh, You are no longer a prisoner, you've been rescued. Your family is here and they want to see you William."  
  
Spike now knew he was being tortured. This man was talking about his family; but his family was gone. They killed them; they had shown him their bodies. And like all the others who were killed while he was imprisoned it was his fault they were dead, he had killed them. That's what they told him. The emotions were too much for William he could no longer keep still, ignoring the pain he rolled over and pulled his knees up into his chest.  
  
Buffy ran to him, no longer caring if she was crowding him; he was awake. She knelt down and looked at his face. His eyes were squeezed shut with many pains. "William? Spike?" She reached out a hand to touch him. As she brushed her fingers over his cheek he opened his eyes and looked into hers.  
  
Buffy smiled "Hi". Spike studied her face, his expression grew confused, then angry and he pulled away from her. In a strained and raspy voice Spike pleaded "Stop torturing me." Buffy's heart ached. "It's me, Spike, it's Buffy." He scowled at her "you're not real." He looked around the room to Rupert at the end of the bed.  
  
"Stop this, please stop, let them just..." Spike's weak voice caught in his throat "let me..." He turned back to Buffy. His body pleading with someone that wasn't Buffy.  
  
"Can we rest now?"  
  
In what Buffy felt must have been defeat or acceptance Spike lay back on the bed, his eyes glazed with tears and arms out waiting for something....for...an end to his suffering. To be continued... 


	4. Thoughts and Feelings

Howdy, thanks so much for reviewing and liking my story. I'm apologizing for typos if you find them. I just really wanted to get this chapter to you. Hope you like it. ~ * ~* ~ * ~ *  
  
Part 4: Thought's and Feelings  
  
Buffy slept in her bed, it should have been more comfortable than the cot she had been sleeping on in the hospital, but it wasn't. Maybe it was because she was scared to be away from him for the first time since he was back, maybe it was because it was ten in the morning. All she knew was she couldn't sleep.  
  
She would nod off, then she would wake up with a start; afraid something was happening and she wasn't there. It was tearing her apart she wanted so badly to be with him, but she really need sleep  
  
She had gotten what she wished for; he was no longer in a coma. . He had woken up two days ago and told her she wasn't really. It had broken her heart and convinced her something was truly wrong.  
  
Now she was going to have to be there for him, she wanted to be there now. She prayed that his mind and body would heal and he would be well. She had the sinking suspicion that it was going to be a long time before he was better.  
  
///*///*///*///*///*///  
  
Willow had finally convinced Buffy to come home. She had sent Buffy straight to bed and was now reading a magazine waiting for her hot water to boil. It had been hard getting Buffy away from Spike's side but she'd been there for days and she need to come home and sleep in her own bed for awhile.  
  
Willow sat flipping the pages of People reflecting of the events of the past week. She could hardly believe Spike had turned her and her extended families lives upside down, again. She remembered the first time she had met the charming hell raiser. She had been wary of him getting involved with Buffy. If there was one thing Buffy had bad luck with it was relationships, but as they had gotten to know each other, Willow saw the love William had for Elizabeth. Their wedding had been beautiful. Willow was the maid of honor every thing was so pretty. Her dress was burgundy and Buffy looked gorgeous in her satin eggshell full length gown. Spike wore his dress uniform and made all the girls swoon. Because they had become such good friends Buffy asked Rupert to give her away. It was a magical day for everyone, even broody Angel had a good time, and Dawn was just ecstatic.  
  
Willow was shocked from her musings by the kettle's howl. She didn't really want to recall the next part of the story any way. It only made her sad to think of all the Time Buffy and Spike had been kept apart. And she had spent all week thinking about the new challenges facing the couple.  
  
///*///*///*///*///*///  
  
Xander couldn't afford for his thoughts to be else where. Work was his only concern at the moment; thought his mind kept drifting to thought's of what would happen after work or what he was missing by being at work and not at the hospital. Xander tried to push all the worse case scenario out of his head and focus on all the blue prints and plans that where being thrown at him. After work he knew he'd be at the hospital all night, shuttling people back and forth, and getting food. Just a few more hours till it was quitting time and he could get back to what he really needed to be doing.  
  
///*///*///*///*///*///  
  
Dawn sat in math class not hearing anything that was happening around her. Her mind was focused on getting through the day and getting back to the hospital. She hadn't seen Spike again since she saw him that first day.  
  
She had been scared of seeing him as she, Willow, and Xander had gotten close to his room. Hearing what was wrong with him didn't help. She followed behind Willow and Xander as they went in and heard them gasp before she had the courage to look at the bed.  
  
When she finally did she lost all fear. It was Spike, even though he was skinny and staring, it was Spike. She had stood there transfixed to the spot she was paralyzed with joy, till some one, Willow, she guessed, took her out of the room. Dawn hadn't been aware that she had large tears rolling down her cheeks. She had tried to explain that she wasn't upset, just happy, but they still hadn't let her back into see him, like she was a baby.  
  
Finally the bell rang and Dawn headed out of math and started off to French. It was going to be a long day.  
  
///*///*///*///*///*///  
  
Rupert sat in his hotel room. Angel had told him to go and sleep, but sleep just wasn't coming. This wasn't where he wanted to be, be wanted to be with his sons. Still he needed time to rest, this week had been exhausting and emotionally draining and it wasn't even over yet. What would tomorrow bring? Rupert didn't want to think about it, he rolled his glass of scotch in his hand and thanked God or who ever had sent his son back to him for the miracle.  
  
Rupert sent his glasses and scotch on the night stand and lay down. He knew the time for him to be back at the hospital would come too soon, but he felt it couldn't come soon enough.  
  
///*///*///*///*///*///  
  
Angel sat hunched over in the chair beside William's bed. His head rested in his hands as his little brother slept. Angel had been in a numb sort of daze the past year and a half. He had accepted that his brother was gone, like he had had to except that their mother was gone. It all hit him hard but he didn't want to show it, not to their father or Buffy.  
  
Now they were both away; he finally had time to examine all the feelings he was having. "I missed you, you know." Angel watched the gentle raise and fall of William's stomach.  
  
"I thought you were gone, for good, this time." But Angel felt he should have known Spike wasn't dead, Spike always came back. He always came back. Spike had run away so many times but he never stayed gone, he would always show up sooner or later.  
  
Angel had thought that William wasn't coming home after he and Rupert had their last huge falling out about Will's life style and dangerous job. But after awhile he met Buffy and came back.  
  
"What did they do to you?"  
  
Angel wasn't a praying man but something inside him felt William could use another prayer, he must have used up all of his.  
  
///*///*///*///*///*///  
  
"You're sure he's not going to regain his sanity?" Agent Forrest addressed Agent Finn in a dark corner of the hospital.  
  
"Nurse Walsh has assured me that he's far beyond help. Our Friend Agent Giles is gone." Agent Finn spoke in a hushed voice.  
  
"Good, you better keep it that way, this is a life or death matter Finn and I'll make sure it's your ass and not mine."  
  
///*///*///*///*///*///  
  
Spike was dreaming about people, places, and things he couldn't remember. They were from his life, before. It was strange to him that he should recall these thoughts and feelings, they felt like they were some one else's memorizes. Tainting theses dreams of another life was a darkness that swam at the edges of his thoughts. It reminded him of the fear and uncertainty waiting for him in the waking world.  
  
All he wanted to do was slip back into that peaceful darkness and not be troubled by the world. Something else inside of him told him that this was not the time to hide; it was now that he should be fighting. Something was different, happening, things had changed.  
  
For now he slept, holding back the darkness, regaining his strength, if not his lucidity, and waiting for the sedative to ware off.  
  
To be continued..... 


	5. Mirages in his Desert

Hey thanks again for Reading this and your reviews!!! Sorry for any typos. Let me know if you find this too choppy or if you're confused about anything. I hope there's enough action going on....I think I enjoy more of what's going on in the character's minds rather than what needs to happen in the story. If you think I'm getting to in depth with that let me know and I'll keep it in mind. THANKS.  
  
Part 5: Mirages in his Desert  
  
When Buffy got back to Spike's room that after noon her heart jumped for joy. He was sitting up in bed looking much better than he had so far. He looked worlds better than when she'd first seen him. Angel was seated in the chair next to him; he got up and spoke in a hushed voice to Buffy when she came in.  
  
"He's been up for nearly two hours and he hasn't said anything. He's just been looking at me out of the corner of his eye."  
  
"Oh." Buffy wasn't sure what she should do with the information, but she'd take it at least he was looking at something.  
  
"I'm going to head out I've got some work to take care of. I'll see you later tonight."  
  
"Thanks for staying with him today Angel."  
  
"Any time Buffy, Just ask." Angel Hugged Buffy and pecked her on the cheek. "We'll get through this together."  
  
"Thanks." Buffy gave her brother in law a reassured nodded.  
  
"I'll see you later Spike." Angel looked for some reaction from Spike, getting none; he shrugged, turned, and left.  
  
**  
  
Buffy turned to Spike. She had told Willow that she could handle him herself, but now she wasn't sure. What was she going to do, Spike didn't even know her. Buffy did not know how much longer she could hold up. For now she would be strong, she'd been strong before. She had had to be strong when her father left, when her mother died, and when she thought that she'd lost Spike, she could hold down the fort once more it was what she did.  
  
Buffy took a seat at the edge of Spike's bed. She noticed that he moved away from her a little but she tried not to take it personally.  
  
"Did you sleep well?" Spike's eyes narrowed at her question. Well that was something.  
  
"How do you feel today?" The question had left Buffy's lips before she remembered that Spike hated that question. "I know hospital food sucks, but I'm sure if you just asked you'd get all the Jello you could ever want." Buffy made a silly face, Spike's face was stone.  
  
"Huumm, so you're not talking today." Buffy decided to let her flood gates open just a bit and see if it got her anything. "Spike, you know I'm here for you. Anything you're going through I'm here to help you through it. I understand that you don't think you can trust us. But please, Spike, trust me, I want so badly to help you. I don't know what to do. I need you to tell me how to help you." Buffy's eyes where getting misty.  
  
**  
  
Spike was trying very hard to not let this mirage of Buffy get to him.  
His eyes blurred and his lip started to quiver but he bit it, and  
kept his still composure.  
  
**  
  
Rupert stood in the doorway of his son's hospital room and watched as his daughter in law pleaded with his youngest son. Rupert hoped that at least for Buffy's sake Spike would regain his right mind. "Buffy dear, the doctor wants to talk with us."  
  
Buffy looked back over her shoulder with wet eyes. "Alright" Buffy turned back to Spike, but she couldn't think of anything to say. She got up and left the room with Giles.  
  
**  
  
Spike waited till they left then sunk back into the bed. He was trying so hard to understand what was going on around him. But it was so surreal. He didn't know who was really and who was a figment of his imagination.  
  
Spike liked things to be black and white. Good guys and Bad guys. It was when things got gray that he got hurt.  
  
**  
  
Dawn had ridden with Xander to the Hospital. They pasted Giles and Buffy in the hall all the way to Spike's room. They were going to see the Doctor; Xander decided he wanted to join them. As they were all discussing the day's happenings on the way down the hall; it occurred to Dawn the Spike was all alone.  
  
She didn't like the thought of him all alone. It reminded her to much of what he must have been through the past year. So Dawn coolly left her sister, Giles, and Xander and headed back to Spikes room.  
  
**  
  
Agent Finn watched The Giles walk down the hall leaving Agent Giles alone in his room. Agent Finn thought this was a perfect time to check on things.  
  
**  
  
Spike was staring at the ceiling Dawn quietly entered his room. "Spike?"  
  
**  
  
Spike heard his name and sat up quickly, causing his head swim. As his eyes focused his breath caught in his throat. Who was the evil bustard playing "this is your life" with him. Parading all the people he loved in front of him just to mock him. Spike wished he could get out of the bed he was in and run far away, but his body wasn't responding to his wishes.  
  
"Hey, I'm so happy to see you're up." Dawn saw the pained look cross Spikes face. She moved closer into the room.  
  
"Spike? Are you alright it's me. It's Dawn." He looked more like him self, she thought, less like a vegetable. He looked like he needed to eat a big piece of chocolate cake and sleep for like a month. Oohhh and Bleach his hair, she had missed his blond hair.  
  
She watched as Spike's face got very serious. This wasn't the reaction she had expected. She had thought tears of joy and hugs. But this was just sad and strange and it was about to get stranger.  
  
"This is no place for you..." his voice caught. "Dawn."  
  
He spoke. Dawn had missed the sound of his voice so much. The cool, smooth way he talked when he was relaxed, the way words could flow from his lips like poetry. The choppy heavily accented tirades he went on when he was mad or excited. She had missed him, all of him for so long.  
  
"I know I'm not supposed to be in here, but I didn't want you to be alone." Dawn couldn't contain herself any longer. She ran to the bedside and rapped her arms around his neck.  
  
** Spike didn't have a chance to react or pull away when the young girl rushed at him with open arms. After he had gotten over the initial shock of her attack, it felt nice to be in her arms. Her loving arms, Spike for a moment didn't care if they were really or not. She felt like his Dawnie, even smelled like she did. Spike closed his eyes and imagined that it was her. Then he heard someone else in the room.  
  
**  
  
Dawn didn't know what went wrong, one minuet she was hugging Spike and he was hugging her back like his life depended on it then the next moment he was pushing her away. She watched as he started rocking back and forth, holding his head. Over and over he kept repeating "Don't hurt the girl. Don't hurt the girl."  
  
Dawn started to cry.  
  
"Spike? Spike, what's wrong? You didn't hurt me; you're not going to hurt me. Spike you're scaring me. Please Stop." Nothing Dawn seemed to help.  
  
**  
  
Buffy heard Spike's voice down the hall and she started to run. When she and the others got to the room they found Dawn with her arms wrapped around a very upset Spike, both of them with red eyes and tear stained cheeks.  
  
Buffy took Dawn up in her arms and hugged her tight. Giles worked to claim Spike, who wasn't responding to anything.  
  
Buffy took a shaky Dawn out of the room and Xander went to go get her some hot chocolate.  
  
**  
  
Agent Finn peered around the corner and down the hall at the room he had just left. He was very pleased with himself. This would do, this would do very nicely for now.  
  
To be continued.... 


	6. Helping Friends

Howdy! Hope you dig this chapter. Let me know if you've got questions or concerns. Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. It makes me happy. I hope typos aren't terrible. I'm totally digging writing this story YAY.  
  
Part 6: Helping Friends  
  
Angel sat on the bed in his hotel room, cell phone firmly pressed to his ear. He was busy trying to get a hold of his partners. He wanted some information on what happened to his brother and he now knew enough to get it.  
  
"Angel investigations, Winifred speaking, how may I help you?"  
  
"Fred, it's Angel, is Gunn back yet?"  
  
"Hi Angel, yeah let me get him."  
  
"No that's ok. Listen I want you two to do some research for me."  
  
"Sure Angel what do you need?"  
  
"I know this is weird, but I need you to find out what happened to my brother. Who was on his team. Where they were and what they were after. I really think it's the only way to help him and the Military isn't giving any of the information out."  
  
"Sure Angel we can look into that no problem. How are you and your family doing?"  
  
"We're alright Fred we'd all be better if we knew we could help Billy." Whoa now that was a name Angel hadn't used for Spike in a long time. Even after all these years it felt natural on his tongue. Billy. It was what their mother had called him. After she died it was Will or William, until the infamous day he had announced that from then on it would be Spike. Where in the world had that come from? Angel quested was to go with his then new blond locks and punk style. Angel laughed to himself. Spike hadn't always been reckless and wild. He had been a shy quiet boy, good and caring. Maybe that boy, Billy was long gone. But if Angel had anything to say about it his brother wasn't going to be lost.  
  
"Angel you still there?"  
  
"Huumm, What, yeah, Sorry Fred I must have zoned out."  
  
**  
  
"Dawn it's ok, really everything is going to be ok." Xander and Willow tried to console a very upset Dawn. She worried that she had hurt her friend and that Buffy and Giles were mad at her.  
  
"I just didn't want him to be alone." Dawn rubbed her eyes and smeared her already running mascara.  
  
**  
  
Nurse Walsh entered the room sedative in hand. The patient, Agent Giles sat quivering on the bed. Mrs. Giles and his father Mr. Giles hovering around him trying in vain to be helpful.  
  
"Stand back please." She pushed her way into the room like the old battle axe she was and moved right up to the bed. Agent Giles looked up at her with big eyes that she likened to a kicked puppy.  
  
"What's that?" Mr. Giles made his way around the bed to this nurse he didn't entirely like.  
  
"It's to sedate agent Giles who you all worked up so nicely. It's the nurses who are going to have to be in here all night watching him, so I'd rather have him sedated if it's all the same to you." Nurse Walsh flicked her syringe.  
  
"Actually..." Giles and Buffy both started.  
  
"Stop what you're doing Nurse Walsh." A round faced blond woman sweep into the room. And put a stop to the injection Nurse Walsh was about to administer.  
  
Buffy sighed "Dr. McClay we're so glad you could make it." The new arrival hugged Buffy and Rupert.  
  
Rupert smiled at the young woman she had been a promising student of his once, to see her so grown up and successful was a blessing "Tara, so wonderful of you to come."  
  
"Anything I can do to help Giles." Tara turned back to the Nurse and the patient.  
  
"I demand to know who you are and what authority you have in this hospital." Nurse Walsh did not like the idea of an outsider coming in and telling her what to do.  
  
"I'm Dr. Tara McClay MD. I specialize in natural healing and Dr. Wydem Price has invited me at the request of the patient's family to come and work with him on this case. So you see I have a great deal of authority when it comes to William and there is to be no more use of sedating drugs. I'll take it from here Nurse you can go."  
  
Tara stepped aside so the Nurse Walsh could exit. The nurse left the room in a huff. Tara ignored her.  
  
"I don't think I like her very much, she gives off a bad vibe." Tara smiled reassuringly at the others. Her calm and caring attitude was already making Buffy feel better and Rupert felt better having a doctor he knew there.  
  
**  
  
Seeing William this way was hard. Tara and William had been in high school together. She never would have guessed then that someday they would be in this situation together. He had always been such a strong guy. Tara recalled as if it were yesterday the multiple times William had stuck up for her in school when other children were picking on the way she talked or dressed or something just as stupid. Now she could finally help him with something or she hoped she could help him anyway. All she could do now was try, hope, and pray.  
  
**  
  
"So what's happened here?" Tara asked Spike.  
  
Spike stopped rocking and looked at her for a few seconds. He tried to place that face and that voice. It was coming from somewhere farther back in his memory than the other. He thought hard but it wasn't coming to him.  
  
He studied her face, every line and birthmark. Her eyes were familiar but whose were they? Then she turned her head just so, causing a wisp of hair to fall over her eye and she brushed it away coolly.  
  
TARA.  
  
Tara was here. Why was Tara here? She hadn't more than crossed his mind in years. They couldn't know about Tara she was too long ago. They only ever conjured up people from his present.  
  
It was really Tara.  
  
It may have only been a small realization, but she meant all the world to a man who was sinking in his mind's own fog with nothing solid to grab hold of.  
  
Tara walked over to William and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"  
  
Buffy started to answer "dawn was in here and..." Tara hushed her.  
  
"William, what's wrong." Spike hesitated for a moment.  
  
"Tara?" He looked up with hopeful eyes.  
  
"Yes, it's me. Can you tell me what's bothering you?" Tara started to rub his back.  
  
"Don't want to hurt the girl." Spike put his head in his hands.  
  
"No of course you don't, we all know you won't hurt anyone, Will."  
  
Spike's head snapped back up "No, you're wrong. I've hurt people. I've hurt lots of people." The sound of his voice was so piteous and pleading that Buffy had to bite her lip to keep from going to him.  
  
"What people have you hurt?" Tara looked back at Buffy and Giles hoping that they had an explanation for his words but their perplexed faces told her that they didn't know either.  
  
"I've hurt lots of people. I had to do it. It's who I am. I didn't have a choice. It was life or death." Spike started rock and shaking his head vigorously.  
  
"SShhh, SShhh. I understand. William you're a solder. You follow orders. If people get hurt, it's not your fault. You don't hurt people on purpose. You wouldn't hurt the girl. It's not who you are." Tara tried to hold him still, tried to get her words to sink in.  
  
"No, no. I hurt them. I tried to be good, tried to do what was right. I didn't follow orders. Went against what I was supposed to do. That's when people get hurt, when I got..." Tara, Buffy, and Giles all leaned in, waiting, expecting some big revelation. But Spike wasn't ready to give up his secret; he reverted back to his cadence of "don't hurt the girl."  
  
Tara moved back from the bed. "It's alright, it's alright. You did well." Tara reached into her bag she had placed on the floor and pulled out a large thermos.  
  
"William I want you to drink some of this tea, it will help you sleep." She looked to Buffy who was again at Spike's side. "Has he had any night mares?"  
  
Buffy thought about it. "I don't think so but, he's been either comatose or heavily sedated since he's been here." Tara nodded her head knowingly.  
  
"I guess we'll find out then."  
  
**  
  
The ever lurking Agent Finn was masterfully eavesdropping on Agent Giles's riddled tell all to Dr. McClay and he didn't like what he heard. That confession was a little to close for comfort. If Giles became even the slightest bit more lucid, the doctor and his family might be able to read between the lines and figure out what he was trying to tell them. The doctor had already shown surprising skill at it. Forrest wasn't going to be happy about this.  
  
To be continued... 


	7. Meetings and Discussions

Whoo hoo. I hope this chapter is enjoyable and not too choppy. If anyone has any suggestions for character development I'd love to hear suggestions. I'm having fun writing this and I hope you're having fun reading it.  
  
Part 7: Meetings and Discussions  
  
Angel was sitting in traffic on his way back to LA Memorial Hospital when his cell phone rang.  
  
"Angel here."  
  
"Hey Angel it's Gunn, Fred and I've called in a favor. You remember the case 'bout a year back, that Dingo thing?"  
  
"Yeah sure, that was a weird one, what was the guy's name?"  
  
"Daniel Oswald."  
  
"Oh yeah Oz."  
  
"Well he's Army and he's agreed to give us some information. I've got an address for you, can you take it down?"  
  
"Yeah, give it to me."  
  
**  
  
Spike had been slowly coaxed to drink Tara's tea and to everyone's relief he fell into a restful sleep.  
  
Spike dreamt. he was in the jungle. He was in combat gear with a gun in his hand, it was dark out. He was making his was through the dense vines and branches, trying to be as quiet as he could with twigs snapping under foot. He was uneasy, he had a feeling of regret, that something had gone wrong and that he was in danger. Then he came to a clearing. Looking out into the dark he saw something that shocked him and he quickly ducked back into the trees. His heart started pounding and a great mantel of fear hung over him, he asked God how he was supposed to get out of this nightmare.  
  
**  
  
Buffy and Rupert sat in Spike's room as he slept. There had been a struggle earlier to get him to drink Tara's tea, but he finale did and he was now sleeping peacefully. Buffy and Rupert spoke in hushed tones.  
  
"Are you really thinking about moving to Sunnydale?" Buffy was a little shocked at the announcement her father in law had just made.  
  
"Actually I've been thinking about it for awhile. I'd really like to be closer to you, Dawn, and William. Of course if you think that my presence would be hindering in some way..."  
  
"Of course not, I'd love to have you closer to us. I think that sticking together is going to be really important for a while." Buffy knew that she was going to need all the help she could get from family, friends, or anyone offering to get her life back in order.  
  
"I know Buffy. Things are trying right now. But everything will work out in the end my dear, just you wait and see. I think that I'm going to look for a flat in Sunnydale the next chance I get, maybe I'll start looking in the classifieds. I'm sure I'll be able to find a job."  
  
"You are invited to stay with us. I mean Willow's living with Dawn and me right now so we haven't got an extra room, but there is a pull out sofa."  
  
"Thank you. I know, and I'll probably wind up taking you up on that offer, temporarily." Rupert made a point of shifting his gaze from Buffy to the bed. Buffy's eyes followed too.  
  
**  
  
"Special Agent William Giles. First Lieutenant US Army. 210831. Special Agent William Giles. First Lieutenant US Army. 210831" Spike started muttering in his sleep.  
  
"What's he saying?" Buffy leaned in to hear but couldn't make any sense on it.  
  
"I think it's his name, rank, and serial number." Rupert watched his son in wonder. "It's just a dream." Spike soon quieted and Buffy and Rupert settled in for the night.  
  
** "Five went only two came back." Angel and a soft spoken young red haired man sat in a bar nursing Guinnesses.  
  
"So what happened?" Angel was ready to get to the straight facts; he was in no mood for dramatics.  
  
"I can tell you that there were four other agents with your brother, Doyle, Graham, Finn, and Forrest. They were on a mission in Bolivia, to take out some government official. It was an assignation, in and out, very covert. But something went wrong, something compromised them. What ever or who ever it was got Doyle killed, your brother imprisoned and presumed dead, and Agent Graham seriously wounded, he died on the way back to the states. It was bad, only Finn and Forrest made it back and they don't talk about what went down. Personally I've always felt there was no real remorse on their parts for what happened over there, but that's my opinion. I don't have to tell you that all this information is classified right."  
  
"Don't worry about it, no one will know. You've been a big help" Angel through some money down on their table as he stood up. "Have another round on me." Oz turned to thank him but Angel was already gone.  
  
**  
  
Spike woke with a start. Reality was blurred with dream as he tried to grasp the world around him. Hadn't he been in the jungle?  
  
"Hello Spike." Two figures stepped out of the dark room's shadows. Spike cringed at the voice and the waking world came rushing back at him. He had been dreaming, remembering the horrible things that had taken place.  
  
"We thought, we'd pay you a little visit, see how you're doing. How are you Spike?"  
  
Spike narrowed his eyes at his guests "Just fine thanks for asking."  
  
The two men walked closer "That's good, that's good because we heard you were kind of insane."  
  
Spike was finding it increasingly hard to stay calm with these threatening figurers closing in on him. "Insane? Who me? Nope I wouldn't say insane."  
  
"Well that's good Agent. Then you know who we are." Spike said nothing but his silence look spoke volumes.  
  
"AAhhh, well we know who you are and what you've done and I think we should have a little talk."  
  
To be continued... 


	8. MIA

Part 8: MIA  
  
It was late, Buffy stood outside of Spike's room having just been out to stretch her legs. She thought hard about lying down on the couch in the waiting room, instead of going back in and sitting in the stanch backed chairs. She was definitely thinking her decision to not have a cot set up in the room was a mistake. But she didn't want to admit that he would be staying there for any length of time, so she declined it.  
  
She slowly and tiredly headed back into the dim room where her husband and father in law where sleeping or where they should have been. When she walked into the room and saw Spike's empty bed and Rupert's vacant chair she didn't know what to make of it, immediately she turned and rushed over to the nurse's station. To Buffy's further distress Nurse Walsh was the only nurse available.  
  
"Have you seen Spike?" Buffy's voice was shrill and panicked. Nurse Walsh looked up nonchalantly from the paper she was filling out. "If by Spike" she sneered "you mean Agent Giles, then no I haven't seen him Mrs. Giles. I would imagine he would be in his bed, sense it is very late. I think you should go back and check since I'm pretty sure he isn't walking around out here." Buffy glared and the nurse.  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
Giles walked down the hall back to his son's room. He took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Sitting back in the room in his terribly restrictive chair he put his glasses back on and was surprised to see Buffy was still gone and shocked to find his son was not asleep on the bed. He was half way out of the room to go find a nurse when Buffy came running back down the hall.  
  
"Giles where were you? Have you seen Spike?" Buffy grabbed Giles's shoulders.  
  
"No I just got up to..." Giles realized that it didn't matter what he was doing now, it only mattered what he did now. "Where would he go, he couldn't have gotten far. He's in no shape to be up and walking around."  
  
[[[*]]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
Nurse Walsh neglected to inform anyone that that Agent Giles was missing; she instead left the Hospital and found Agent Finn standing outside.  
  
"What did you do?" the nurse was dwarfed by the large soldier but she held her ground.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Agent Finn put away the cell phone he had been talking on and looked puzzled at the older woman.  
  
"It's none of my business if you want to watch or whatever you're doing to him, but when he goes missing people get nosy."  
  
"He's missing?" Finn  
  
"Well his wife seems to think he's not in his bed. Don't you know where he is?"  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
Angel was headed into the hospital when he spotted the man he was looking for.  
  
To be continued... 


	9. Questions

Yep Spikes still nutty. But how prey tell do you bring an insane man back to sanity, it might, I think, take a while. I'm doing my best. I think the story needs a bit more action what do you think? I don't know what I'll be able to deliver. I got the idea for this story while watching the movie the War at Home. I love the challenge of getting lots of characters in and using imagery from season seven. Thanks for reading in reviewing I heart all you guys.  
  
Part 9: Questions  
  
Fifteen minuets ago...  
  
Spike had woken up in his hospital bed. His dream had been so vivid. He was soaked with sweat. He looked around the room hoping to see a loving familiar face. Buffy's, his dad's, Tara's anyone's but no one was there. At least at first there was no one there.  
  
Then out of the shadowed darkness that hung at the edges of the room a vision straight out of his dream stepped.  
  
Two men were then standing in front of him, looming painful in on his personal space. The hazy fog the jungle had left settle on his mind making it difficult for him to gage how he should react to the ghostly figures. He tried to stay calm but he was becoming increasingly agitated.  
  
"AAhhh, well we know who you are and what you've done and I think we should have a little talk."  
  
Spike pulled his knees up, his hand fell over his heart, and he tried to ignore the two men but they refused to be ignored. They moved in closer and began...  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
Present (2:30 Am)  
  
Buffy and Rupert were beside themselves. They couldn't figure where Spike would be. They checked the room and up and down the hallway. They went back to his room hoping to find him or at least help.  
  
Buffy was in crisis mode and racking her brain to come up with what to do next.  
  
"Hey Dad, Buffy. A little help here." Angel entered the room supporting a limping Spike. Rupert immediately took Spikes other arm and helped get him back to the bed. Spike sat on the bed but did not appear to want to stay there.  
  
"OH thank goodness, where did you find him Angel?" Buffy was so relieved though her heart was still racing.  
  
"Apparently Spike here felt like taking a walk, I found him just inside the front entrance. I would have had him back sooner but he refused to use a wheelchair. Oh and I think now that we know he's capable of being up and about we should think about getting him some real clothes, the hospital gown isn't really a great fashion statement."  
  
Spike tuned the conversation around him out. He looked absently over in the direction of the window. He was watching when something or some one past by said window. It didn't seem odd to him at first it could be a gardener or a grounds keeper then he noticed it was late...  
  
"Too late to be out."  
  
The Giles's conversation was interrupted by Spike's observation that it was indeed late.  
  
"I think I'll head out, I just wanted to see that things were ok here." Angel excused himself and Rupert followed him out into the hall. Buffy watched Spike, who was now fixated on the window.  
  
"Why did you get out of bed? Did you have a nightmare?" Spike's gaze stayed with the window.  
  
"I'm sorry I wasn't here. When you woke up that is. I just need to..." Spike turned to look at her and Buffy's eyes dropped down in an uneasy manner. It was then that she noticed the pin prick traces of blood staining the front of Spike's hospital gown. She pulled down the neck of the gown to uncover the area over his heart. "What did you do?" She reached her fingers up to touch the many scratch marks that had caused him to bleed.  
  
He did not pull away from her touch this time but he took her by the wrist. "Don't touch." Was all he said in a whispered voice.  
  
He let her wrist go, then he lay back on the bed. His head once more turned to the window, watching. Buffy pulled the blankets of the bed up over him and lightly kissed his check. She's wouldn't ask anymore questions tonight. Tomorrow she thought, tomorrow. She sat back down in her chair by the bed. She was too awake to sleep now so she watched the raise and fall of his breathing.  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
Rupert and his eldest son stood in the hallway outside of William's room. Angel every so often checked up and down the hall to make sure no one was coming.  
  
"You remember Agent Finn, Dad?"  
  
"Yes of course, he was here that first day." Rupert leaned back on the wall.  
  
"Well I have reason to believe that he may have been involved with whatever took place a year and a half ago."  
  
"Oh my, you don't think do you..."  
  
"Yes I do, I'm going to do some looking into it, you should keep you eye's open too. Let me know if you notice anyone suspicious hanging around here." Angel looked at his watch, he was supposed to call Gunn and Fred and let them know how his meeting went. "Ok I'm going back to the hotel; I'll talk to you in the morning."  
  
Rupert knew the lives his children had chosen were rough ones and he knew that what Angel was telling him was that things might get even tougher.  
  
"Alright, I'll see you in the morning." Angel turned to leave. "Oh and Angel, do be careful."  
  
TO be continued... 


	10. Explaining Things

Thanks for reading. Let me know if there are any glaring errors so I can fix them. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I making this up as I go along, so if you like or don't like where things are going let me know and I'll see what I can do. Thanks again.  
  
Part 10: Explaining Things  
  
Tara entered the hospital bright and early Saturday morning, brief case in one hand and a carrot, mango, and wheat grass smoothie in the other. She had not received any late night phone calls so she thought things with William had gone well. That was till she past a very disheveled Buffy asleep on one of the waiting room couches.  
  
Entering her patience's room she found Giles slouched down on the chair next to the bed coveting a cup of coffee.  
  
"Coffee Giles?" Tara set her briefcase at the foot of the bed and stood looking at father and son.  
  
"It's been quite a night of events. I just couldn't resist the allure of caffeine. " Giles pinched the bridge of he nose.  
  
"What happened?" Tara pulled the room's other chair over to sit next to Giles.  
  
"I feel terrible about it." Giles didn't look at her as he spoke of the night's occurrences. "It was about two this morning... Well up until then William was sleeping peacefully occasionally mumbling but nothing frightening. I've seen first hand how bad a soldier's nightmares can get; when I was growing up an uncle of mine stayed with us, he had been in the Second World War two and would sometimes wake up the house hold with his screaming. William was fine. That I suppose is why Buffy and I felt confident in leaving the room. We both happened to get the urge to stretch our legs among other things at the same time. When we returned William was gone. It was an excruciating ten minuets before Angel finally found him and brought him back." Tara nodded knowingly and patted his hand.  
  
"It's alright Giles, nothing was done on purpose and no one appears to be hurt. I might from now on suggest taking turns going for bathroom breaks but it's alright. It's not your job to watch William 24 hours a day besides everyone needs time to themselves even William."  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
Spike woke earlier than Buffy expected. Breakfast was brought in by a candy striper. Tara checked his vitals, and looked at the scratches on his chest, even with Spike protesting.  
  
Because they were all watching him he picked at the food on his tray, but he didn't eat much. Finally Tara deiced he wasn't going to eat any more for now and moved the tray away. She asked Rupert and Buffy to go do something else for a little while, while she talked with William.  
  
Once the others hand gone Tara pulled the chair closer to the bed Spike eyed her suspiciously.  
  
"How did you sleep?"  
  
"I..." He started but he wasn't sure what he should say. She looked at him supportively, waiting.  
  
"I..." he started again. "Thought I was back in the jungle." Tara nodded and Spike tight lipped.  
  
"Why did you scratch your self?" Spike's had moved up and rested over his heart.  
  
"I don't remember...there was someone telling me...I couldn't sleep anymore... they were here, like they were in the jungle, like I last saw them, they all keep coming." He looked at Tara hoping she could make some sense out of his muddled words. She just patted his hand.  
  
"Who are they William?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
"Morning Buffy, Hi Giles." Dawn came into Spikes room rather timidly.  
  
"What are you doing here it's 10 in the morning?" Buffy looked both astonished and mad.  
  
"Buffy, Willow dropped me off with the stuff you asked for and oh it's Saturday!" Dawn was just a little sarcastic in her response; this was no time to rip on Buffy especially with some one she didn't know in the room.  
  
"Hello?" Dawn looked quizzically at the stranger.  
  
"Hi I'm Dr. McClay, you can call me Tara. Dawn is it?" Dawn nodded and smiled. She then took her book bag off her shoulder and set it on the vacant chair the furthest away from Spike who was sitting in bed watching everyone in the room silently.  
  
"I'm going to go talk with Dr. Wyndem Pryce; I'll talk to you later." Tara squeezed Spikes hand, nodded to the rest of them, and exited.  
  
Dawn Started pulling things out of her bag. "I brought a couple t shirts and some sweats. Here are some cards that Willow and I made." Dawn held up some brightly colored get well soon cards and Buffy placed them on the window sill that Spike seemed so fascinated with now. "Here's Lord Byron, Hamlet, and oh Jack Kerouac." Dawn took the books out and handed them to Giles.  
  
Giles stood with the books in his hand. He turned them over and looked at them; they were worn and well read. Did these belong to his son? His son Spike who hated school and reading and who would rather be fighting or watching TV than cracking a book.  
  
Buffy saw the look on Rupert's face and felt an explanation was needed. "I guess he was too busying rebelling to let you know that he actually inherited your love of books. He's got shelves of them at home; he read everything he could get his hands on."  
  
"As early pioneers in knowing, that when you loss your reason, you attain the highest perfect knowing." Spike quoted from the Kerouac book Rupert held as he look absently towards the window. Rupert set the books down on the table by the bed and had to excuse himself. He left the room wondering what else he had missed about his son while he was busy being stiff lipped, narrow minded and as Spike had called him "an old man".  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
"He's certainly not ready to go home yet." Dr. Wyndem Pryce sat at his desk across from his associate Dr. McClay.  
  
"I agree, we still do not know a great deal about the mental state he's in and how much harm he might do to himself or others."  
  
"Yes, yes, and with this ordeal I've heard so much about, he's scratched himself you say?" Tara agreed. "And still he's not physical ready to leave yet. He's eating just enough to not have to be fed intravenously but not enough to put on the significant weight he needs. Plus when he's strong enough he's still going to need surgery to fix his leg."  
  
"Yes, well I'm not sure how the family will be able to keep up with all this; I believe we're looking at the very least six months of work if he cooperates. Of course as you are aware I'm not a miracle worker, there is only so much even my methods can do. I think that I'll begin observing him personally tonight."  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
"Hey Gunn." Angel stood in the door way of his hotel room and greeted his partner. "You ready to go."  
  
"Yeah man, where we going?" Angel stepped out and locked the door behind him.  
  
"To ask some questions."  
  
To be continued... 


	11. Lunch

Howdy thanks for reading. Just so you know, it's the end of the semester pretty much and I've got lots of papers and tests. I'm trying hard to get at lest a chapter a week, even if it's short, out to you. I really want you to be happy and I'm pretty proud of what I've done so far. So just hang in there with me I'm doing the best I can. Thanks so much. If you haven't checked out my other two stories "Strange encounters" is in my mind finished, but I am contemplating a prequel if I ever get "Coming Home" finished. And "The Gypsy" is pretty different thought it's not finished. If you read all of them you can pretty much tell how bad I've got Florence Nightingale syndrome. LOL  
  
Part 11: Lunch  
  
Angel and Gunn waited outside the Army Base. There was no point in going in and looking for Agent Finn, too many soldier types and they didn't know where he worked. Right now they were waiting in a parking lot on the other side of the road for Finn to come out. Then they would tail him and ask him a few questions.  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
It was lunch time and Tara suggested that they take Spike outside for a change. Buffy helped him grudgingly change into the t-shirt and sweat pants Dawn had brought. They had been his, though Buffy had been wearing them to bed for the past year. He really looked small now, swimming in all the fabric.  
  
They had gotten him unhappily into a wheelchair and wheeled him outside. He huffed the entire way. Rupert could understand his son not wanting to be treated like an invalid. But it was Hospital policy that all patients be moved in wheelchairs.  
  
The girls and Tara accompanied him outside to a grassy area with a picnic table and a large shade tree; it was sunny out and very comfortable. Rupert followed behind with lunch for everyone. Spike sat quietly while the others discussed school, work, the weather, what movies where out, how cute Dawn thought Orlando Bloom was.  
  
Giles, while in the mist of biting his egg salad sandwich found himself looking over at his son at the other end of the table. The look of aw on William's face made Giles think he hadn't seen the light of day in years. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, to think of William's rescue and about all the time and things he'd missed. He hadn't touched his sandwich Giles noted, then something occurred to him, and just as quickly he dismissed it, it was too hot for that right now. But than again if it might make Will happy it was worth a shot. Giles put his sandwich down and excused himself, saying he'd be back in a moment.  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
Wow, it was bright out, it was beautiful. It was like the light comforted something deep in his soul and he wished this amazing day won't end. He wanted to express these feelings to Buffy or Dawn, Tara, someone. But he couldn't put it in words; his words had always fallen short of how he really felt. Besides they probably would think he was feverish or something and take him back inside. A warm breeze blew and Spike picked up the faint scent of vanilla, and it was coming off him. He lifted the sleeve of his shirt to his nose. It smelled like Buffy, all warm, and of vanilla and detergent.  
  
It smelled like home.  
  
Rupert came back outside and handed Spike a cup. Spike looked at the cup in his hands, wondering what to do next. It was warm in his hand. Rupert watch intently, almost proudly Spike thought as he eyed his father wonder what was going on in his mind. Slowly he took a sip and let it slid down his throat. Aaaa Hot Chocolate, his old favorite, nice call old man. "Thanks" he said meaning it with his whole heart.  
  
[[[*]]][[[*]]][[[*]]]  
  
Angel and Gunn had followed Agent Finn as he left the base and stopped for lunch at a small dinner. The two of them went in after him with their most intimidating gaits and game faces on. Calmly, almost eerily they slid into his booth across from him.  
  
Riley looked up from his menu as two men sat down at his table, and not the men he was expecting.  
  
"Can I help you?" He asked smugly and on his guard.  
  
Angel looked him straight in the eye and smirked, the cold smirk of someone in control. "Oh I think you can."  
  
To be continued... 


End file.
